Adjustable weight bobber

ABSTRACT

A bobber is provided with a hollow interior, and a removable cap. The interior of the bobber may be filled or partially filled with water, sand or other material to provide a desired amount of ballast so that the bobber may be used in casting and will provide the necessary weight for casting light weight lures.

United States Patent I 1 [111 3,747,257 Olsen July 24, 1973 ADJUSTABLE WEIGHT BOBBER 2,761,238 9/1956 Shiverdecker 43/4314 3,037,319 6/1962 Stanek 43/4495 [761 Inventor 1710 Ross Ave-i 3,664,053 5/1972 Beverly 43/4114 Saint Paul, Mmn. 55106 22 W May 24 1972 Primary Examiner-Robert Peshock Assistant Examiner-Daniel J, Leach [2]] Appl' 256373 AttorneyRobert M. Dunning [52] US. Cl 43/43., 43/4487, 43/4492 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl A01k 93/00 A bobber is provided with a hollow interior, and a re- [58 Field of Search 43/43.14, 44.87, movable cap. The interior of the bobber may be filled 43144.92, 44.95 or partially filled with water, sand or other material to provide a desired amount of ballast so that the bobber [56] References Cited may be used in casting and will provide the necessary UNITED STATES PATENTS weight for casting light weight lures. 2,726,474 12/1955 Soskice 43143.14 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures ADJUSTABLE WEIGHT BOBBER This invention relates to an improvement in an adjustable weightbobber and deals particularly with a fishing. bobber which may be used in various ways.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION very light weight artificial flies, it is desirable to castthe bait or lure for a considerable distance, andto let it either float on the surface, or to be suspended at a short distance below the surface. In order to accomplish this purpose, a bobber is usually required. However, the very light weight of the lure and. the light weight of the bobber often make it difficult for the angler to cast the lure the desired distance. It is with this in mind that the present bobber was designed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a hollow bobber, preferably formed of a material such as a flexible plastic polyolefin or other resilient material which willnot readily break in use. This body is provided with a neck which may be externally threaded. A cap is provided for closing the neck and for sealing the interior of the body. With this arrangement, the weight of the body may be readily adjusted by filling the interior of the bobber with water, sand or other material to provide the desired balance. Whenit is desired to cast the lure a considerable distance, the. cap may be removed, and the hollow body may be filled or partially filled with water or other ballast material. When it is desired to fish close to the boat or to the fisherman, the cap may be removed and the ballast emptied so that the device will serve in the normal capacity of the bobber. In other words, the ballast in the bobber may be adjusted so that the bobber barely floats on the surface of the water, or may be removed so that the bobber will float high on the surface of the water when it is so desired.

A further feature of the present invention resides iin the provision ofa structure in which in cap serves in the double capacity of a means of inserting and removing ballast from the interior of the bobbin, but also serves as a means of clamping the line in order to suspend the bait or lure at a desired distance from the bobber. The neck of the recepticle is slit, and when the line is inserted through the slit, the fastening of the cap in place will automatically clamp the line'to the bobber.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an elongated body having a neck and a closure cap at one end, and having a line guiding means at the opposite end. As a result, when the line extends through the line guiding means and is clamped in position by the cap, the bobber will normallt float in a generally upright position. However, if preferred, the line may be attached to one end only of the bobber, in which case the bobber may float in a generally horizontal position unless it is too heavily ballasted.

, 2 These and other objects and novel features of the present. invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bobber connected to a fishing line.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the bobber with the cap removed.

FIG. 4. is a vertical sectional view through the bobber.

FIG. 5 is aside elevational view of the bobber when used in inverted postion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT While the specific form of construction of the bobber A may be varied, itis shown as having a circular crosssection: and having frusto-conical walls 10 which, in the preferred form, teminate in a rounded lower end 11, and a roundedupper end 12. The rounded lower end 11; is. provided with a downwardly projecting car 13 which is apertured as indicated at 14 to accommodate the line B. The rounded upper end is provided with a substantially cylindrical neck 15. The neck 15 may be closed by a cap which is indicated in general by the nu.- meral 1-6, and includes. a top closure 17, and interally threaded cylindrical walls 19. The cap 16 may be threaded upon the neck 15 in order to enclose the interior of the container.

As is indicated in FIG. 40f the drawings, the neck 15 may be longitudinally slotted as indicated at 20 so that the line B may extend through opposite sides of the neck 15 and may be clamped in place by the lower edge of the cap 16. Thus the fish line B may be supported in a desired relation relative to the bobber so as to suspend the bait or lure (not shown in the drawings) a predetermined distance below the surface.

The body of the device is preferably formed of a flexible plastic polyolefin or other material which is quite resilient and which will sustain the shock of being thrown against rocks, trees or other relatively solid objects. As will be noted, the walls of the bobber are thin and resilient. By removing the cap 16, the body may be filled to the desired extent with water, sand or other ballast. When used as a casting bobber for casting bait a considerable distance, the bobber is filled to the extent where it barely floats on the surface of the water. Such. an arrangement is desirable, for example, when the bait or lure is cast upon the surface of a stream so that the bait or lure will be suspended at a desired elevation as the bobber slowly floats down the stream. Obviously, itis similarly useful in suspending a bait or lure where the fishermen are in a boat and casting toward shore. Usually the preferred ballast is water, as the bobber may be filled readily to the desired extent, and as the ballast may be readily poured out if found to be excessive.

FIG. 5 of the drawings is merely indicative of the fact that the lure may, if desired, be used with the cap end of the body extending downwardly instead of upwardly as in the other figures. It is sometimes preferred to have the clamped end of the line nearest to the bait or lure, and this is readily possible as is seen from FIG. 5 of the drawings.

In accordance withe the Patent Office Statutes, I have described the principles of construction and oper- 3 4 ation of my improvement in an adjustable weight boband fishing line guiding means on said body. h n hil I h e n a r d to e f r h the best 2. The structure of claim 1 and in which said closure embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that comprises a cap d h bl Secured on S id neck, changes may be made within the Scope P following 3. The structure of claim 1 and in which said closure claims without departing from the spirit of my inven- 5 comprises a cap threaded onto said neck 4. The structure of claim 3 and in which said neck is L A bbber indudmg: transversely slotted to accommodate the fishing line a hollow body including a neck portion, adapted to be clamped in place by said cap.

a closure detachably connected to said neck, said The Structure of claim 4 and in which Said guiding closure providing a closure for said neck and a e s at th end of a d bo y opposite aid ckmeans of containing ballast within the hollow body 

1. A bobber including: a hollow body including a neck portion, a closure detachably connected to said neck, said closure providing a closure for said neck and a means of containing ballast within the hollow body and fishing line guiding means on said body.
 2. ThE structure of claim 1 and in which said closure comprises a cap detachably secured on said neck.
 3. The structure of claim 1 and in which said closure comprises a cap threaded onto said neck.
 4. The structure of claim 3 and in which said neck is transversely slotted to accommodate the fishing line adapted to be clamped in place by said cap.
 5. The structure of claim 4 and in which said guiding means at the end of said body opposite said neck. 